Advanced Diploma in Project Management

What is it about?

Project Manager or Programme Manager is listed as the 5th scarcest out of 100 occupations according to the National Scarce Skills report compiled by the South African Government during 2014. In addition, Construction and Information Technology (IT) Project Managers feature in positions 11 and 66 respectively.

PM Academy has developed an Advanced Diploma: Project Management to satisfy the specific professional and educational needs of our national and international clients in this field.

The primary purpose of this qualification is to equip learners with the necessary tools, knowledge and techniques on how to initiate, plan, execute and close a project. It serves as a focused diploma on theoretical and practical applications of project management. This programme is relevant to all industries and appropriate for Project Managers throughout Africa.

The programme is accredited by the Council on Higher (CHE) education at National Qualification Framework (NQF) Level 7. This qualification is equivalent to an undergraduate degree.

What can I expect?

This Advanced Diploma in Project Management follows the syllabus consisting of 3 main modules:

1 Project Management Principles and Theory

Project Management Concepts
Organizational Design and the Project Environment
Business Case and Investment Decisions
Change and Project Stakeholder Management
Project Scope Management
Project Scheduling and Resources
Project Costing
Project Procurement and Contracting
Project Quality Management
Project Risk Management
Managing the Project Safety, Health and Environment
Project Reporting
Project Integration

2 Project Management Soft Skills

Managing Cultural Diversity
Project Leadership and Ethics
Conflict Management
Time Management

3 Project Managing in Practice

Conceptualizing Project
Planning Projects
Executing Projects
Monitoring and Controlling Projects
Closing Projects

Students can earn Project Management Institute (PMI) Professional Development Units (PDU’s) and the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Who should attend?

The Programme accommodates all levels of management across industry sectors in the private and public enterprises. Typical designations may include, inter alia:

Project Managers
Project Management Consultants
Programme Managers
Project Team members
Line / Functional Managers
General Managers
Senior Executives

How and when can I attend?

This is a 1 year intensive programme that is delivered through 4 classroom lectures of 4 days each.

The programme employs a diversity of teaching and learning methods including:

Classroom interaction
Case Study Analysis
Assignments (Group and Individual)
Workplace Integrated Learning

To enhance the learning experience, formative assessments consisting of Individual and Group assignments will be required throughout the year. Summative assessments consisting of tests and examinations will be conducted.

To ensure Work Integrated Learning and the practical application of best practices learned, students will be expected to submit a Project Portfolio on a project they delivered from conceptualization to closure.

Delegates receive the following:

Textbooks
Learning material

Students that successfully complete this 1-year programme will be presented with an Advanced Diploma in Project Management qualification.

Do I qualify?

Students should ideally have two years project management or business experience.

Entry to the Advanced Diploma in Project Management may be obtained in one of two ways:

An appropriate 3 year Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited higher education institution
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Students seeking RPL must complete an application form and submit a portfolio of evidence of relevant project management experience. The submission will be assessed by a PM Academy Evaluation Committee.